New Delhi, Nov 8 (NationPress) Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian women's cricket team, emphasized that their triumph at the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup is not merely an overnight achievement. It is the culmination of two years of extensive preparation and dedication aimed at securing this prestigious title.

India claimed their first-ever ODI World Cup victory by defeating South Africa by 52 runs during the final held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. "With Amol Muzumdar joining as coach, we established a comprehensive plan. Prior to that, we faced challenges due to frequent coaching changes. We meticulously outlined our strategies two years ago, including series schedules, tournament timelines, training camps, and fitness regimes. The BCCI provided unwavering support, allowing us to access whatever resources we needed without any pressure," she shared.

“This trophy is a testament to the two years of relentless effort put in by the entire team. The structured approach taken by Amol sir, where we evaluated our progress bi-monthly, was instrumental in our journey towards this victory,” Harmanpreet remarked on JioStar.

She also acknowledged the significant transformations within the Indian cricket ecosystem over the past two years that contributed to their World Cup success. "Numerous positive changes have taken place, particularly during this World Cup, and we owe a debt of gratitude to BCCI and Jay Shah for their exceptional support. The introduction of pay parity has been vital in reshaping the landscape of women's cricket,” she stated.

“Awareness campaigns have encouraged parents to motivate their daughters to pursue cricket, fostering healthy competition and attracting more talent to the sport. The WPL has completely shifted our dressing room mentality,” she added.

“In comparison to previous World Cups, the atmosphere and mindset were remarkably different this time, largely due to the solid backing from BCCI and our amazing fans,” she noted.

During the lead-up to the World Cup, the Indian squad benefited from various training camps at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, where Harmanpreet praised the state-of-the-art facilities.

"The BCCI National Cricket Academy in Bangalore is outstanding. The ground, gym, and the expertise of the physios and trainers are remarkable. We must acknowledge the NCA for providing everything we required during our last three or four camps there,” she expressed.

“Previously, we had to make do with limited facilities, but this new center is so impressive that India won't have to wait long for our next World Cup. The quality of facilities, coaches, and staff we now have is truly exceptional for Indian cricket,” she added.

Harmanpreet concluded by thanking fans for their unwavering support throughout the World Cup. "For everyone involved, the World Cup Final was an incredibly special occasion. There was a profound belief that this team could accomplish something remarkable, and many felt we had already succeeded even before stepping onto the field,” she commented.

“The overwhelming public response demonstrated the eagerness of people to be part of this movement - we received countless messages and calls from supporters. During our practice sessions, we even observed artificial stands being set up in stadiums due to the high demand for tickets,” she remarked.

“This clearly indicates that women's cricket has truly made its mark in our nation. The need for additional seating in stadiums underscores that this team possesses something unique that no one wanted to miss,” concluded Harmanpreet.